Perforating apparatus for perforating the elements of a signal combination



June 9, 1964 J. HANDLEY 3,136,481

PERFORATING APPARATUS FOR PERFORATING THE ELEMENTS OF A SIGNALCOMBINATION Filed Jan. 22, 1962 '7 Sheets-Sheet 1 A Home y June 9, 1964J HANDLEY 3,136,481

PERFORATING APPARATUS FOR PERFORATING THE ELEMENTS OF A SIGNALCOMBINATION Filed Jan. 22, 1962 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG.2.

'1 V F| G.8. I F n lnuenlor J HAND LEY Attorney June 9, 1964 J HANDLEY3,136,481

PERFORATING APPARATUS FOR PERFORATING THE ELEMENTS OF A SIGNALCOMBINATION Filed Jan. 22, 1962 '7 Sheets-Sheet 5 FIGS.

Inventor J HANDLEY Attorney J- HANDLEY June 9, 1964 FORATING THEBINATION PERFORATING APPARATUS FOR PER ELEMENTS OF A SIGNAL COM 7Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Jan, 22, 1962 Inventor J. HANDLEY Attorney June 9,1964 J. HANDLEY 3,136,481

PERFORATING APPARATUS FOR PERFORATING THE ELEMENTS OF A SIGNALCOMBINATION Filed Jan. 22, 1962 v 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 FIG.5.

i Z-SMS. 2'5M.S.

Inventor J HANDLEY A Horn e y June 9, 1964 J. HANDLE PERFORATINGAPPARATUS FOR PERFORATING THE! ELEMENTS OF A SIGNAL COMBINATION FiledJan. 22, 1962 O O y '7 Sheets-Sheet 6 Q Inventor J. HANDLEY )3y wayAttorney June 9, 1964 HANDLEY 3,136,481

PERFORATING APPARATUS FOR PERFORATING THE ELEMENTS OF A SIGNALCOMBINATION Filed Jan. 22, 1962 A 7 Sheets-Sheet 7 S/Tw A I nuenlor JOHNHA NDLEY 7 A torne y United States Patent Ofiice 3,136,481 Patented June9, 1964 3,136,481 PERFORATING APPARATUS FOR PERFORATING THE ELEIVENTS(IF A SIGNAL COMBINATION John Handley, Little Marland, Briar Hill,Purley, Surrey, England Filed Jan. 22, 1962, Ser. No. 167,876 Claimspriority, application Great Britain Oct. 26, 1957 5 Claims. (Cl.234-115) This invention relates to perforating apparatus for perforatingthe elements of a signal combination, and is a continuation in part ofmy application, Serial No. 764,555, filed October 1, 1958, nowabandoned.

When information stored in a computer is to be recorded as signalcombinations in a punched tape, it can be supplied from the computer atvery high speeds. Furthermore it may consist of a long sequence ofcombinations to be perforated or occasionally of single combinations. Itis therefor desirable that the perforating apparatus should be aflexible mechanism which runs at very high speeds and stops and startson a single character.

In my co-pending application Serial No. 582,718, filed May 4, 1956, nowPatent No. 2,960,163, issued Nov. 15, 1960, I described and claimed aflexible perforating apparatus which was designed to raise the speed ofperforating to the region of 2,500 words per minute. The presentinvention proposes a perforating apparatus which is flexible and whichis capable of perforating at speeds approaching 5,000 words per minute.

This is achieved, according to the present invention, by keeping themechanism which performs the actual perforating operation movingcontinuously, so that there is no idle period between successivepunching operations. The punches therefore have to be positionedindependently of the actual perforating operation. According to thepreferred embodiments of the invention this is done by a set of punchselector magnets which move respective punches at very small amount witha very small effort.

Either a punch is wanted for the next character or not, so thatpractically the Whole cycle time is available for setting up a punch orallowing it to restore. In practice the selection of the punches for thesucceeding punching operation begins as soon as the tape and the puncheshave been separated after the last punching operation.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention the punching operation isperformed by lifting and lowering the die or anvil over which the tapeis fed, so that the tape is forced up against the selected combinationof punches. The lifting and lowering operation is carried out with auniformly accelerated and decelerated motion under control of a cam. Thecycle time for one complete operation in the embodiments which will bedescribed is 2.5 milliseconds, of which the actual punching operationwhen the tape is in contact with any selected punches occupies 1millisecond. The time available for feeding the tape is therefore 1.5milliseconds and the time in which the flux in each punch selectormagnet can build up to its maximum or decay away to nothing is 2milliseconds. The movement of a punch during selection is of the orderof 12 thousandths of an inch.

In the form of the invention which will be described with reference toFIGS. 6 to 8, the punch selector magnets cam the selected punches intoposition and then look them in the selected position. Other details ofsome embodiments of the invention will become apparent from thefollowing description taken in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation in part section, with some parts removed, ofa perforator operating in response to received signals according to theinvention;

' FIG. 2 is a view of the perforator of FIG. 1, taken 7 again in partsection;

FIG. 5 is a timing diagram of the operations carried out in theperforator of FIGS. 1 to 4;

'FIG. 6 is a side view in part section, i.e. similar to FIG. 1, of amodified form of perforator according to the invention;

FIG. 7 is a front view in part section, i.e. similar to FIG. 2, of theperforator of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a detail view of the armature and punch arrangement of themodified perforator of FIGS. 6 and 7; and

FIG. 9 is a schematic representation of means for effecting control ofthe selection punches of the perforator during perforating operations.

Referring first to the perforator of FIGS. 1 to 4, there are providedeight punches 1 (FIGS. 1 and 2), the perforator shown being one forperforating a tape with information supplied from a computer in the formof an eight element code in which eight signals, one for each element,are supplied simultaneously. These punches 1 are each acted upon by anindividual leaf spring 10 (FIG. 1) which tends to keep each punch 1 inits uppermost position. The top end of each punch 1 is shaped to beengaged by a cammed end on a corresponding lever or interposer 3 (FIG.2), each interposer 3 being mounted on a shaft 5 associated with a punchselector magnet 4. The eight punch selector magnets 4 are laid out, asshown in FIG. 4, four on each side of the punches 1 with the associatedshafts 5 from each side controlling alternate punches 1. The movement ofthe interposers 3 to position their respective punches 1 is made inopposite directions for successive punches 1, as can be seen in FIG. 2.Furthermore the shaped portions on which the interposers 3 engage on thetop ends of the punches 1 are staggered, as can be seen in FIG. 1, inorder to provide room for the setting-up movements of the interposers 3to take place.

The type of punch selector magnet 4 used in the embodiments of theinvention shown here is illustrated in FIG. 3. The armature 50 of thepunch selector magnet 4 is of the kind known as centrally-pivoted, i.e.the pivot 51 is some distance from both ends of the armature 50, if notexactly at its centre. The punch selector magnet core 52, which is madein two parts, is arranged so that, when the punch selector magnet 4 isenergised, the poles formed at both ends of the core 52 act to gether tomove the armature 50' in the same direction about its pivot 51. In theview of the punch selector magnet shown in FIG. 3, this movement of thearmature 50 is clockwise about the pivot 51, and this is achieved byhaving the top end of the core 52 acting upon the right hand side of thearmature 50 above the pivot 51, and the bottom end of the core 52 actingupon the left hand side of the armature 50 below the pivot 51, as seenin FIG. 3. In this Way the punch selector magnet 4 is arranged to givethe maximum angular movement with the minimum air gap between the endsof the core 52 and the armature 50.

The shafts 5 which carry the respective interposers 3 are fixed directlyto the armatures 50 and co-axial with the pivots 51 thereof, so that themovement of an armature 50 causes the associated shaft 5 to turn and theassociated interposer 3 afiixed to the end thereof to move with it, withthe result that the associated punch 1 is moved downwards through theaction of the cammed end of the corresponding interposer on the cammedtop end of the punch and against the action of its leaf spring 10. Thismovement of the shaft causes torsional displacement of a coil spring 11(FIGS. 1 and 4) which is located on the shaft 5 and affixed at its freeends to this shaft and a portion 85 of the framework of the perforator.When the punch selector magnet 4 is de-energised, the torsional energystored in the coil spring 11 restores the armature 50 to its inoperativeposition, causing the interposer 3 to be also restored and the punch 1to be freed to return, under the action of its leaf spring 10, to itsupper, inoperative position.

To give simple adjustment of the punchselector magnet 4, a back stop 12(FIG. 3) controls the travel of the armature 50, packing 13 controls thewidth of the residual air gap when the punch selector magnet isoperated, and-these clearances may be adjusted by inserting shimsbetween the back stop 12 and the packing l3, and between the packing 13and the punch selector magnet housing 14.

The movements of the punches 1 under control of the punch selectormagnets 4 should be accurately controlled to get the depth ofpenetration of the operated punches 1 right according to the timingsequence which will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 5. Inorder to control this accurately, the punch selector magnets 4 and theirassociated shafts 5 and interposers 3, must be movable relative to thepunches ll. To this end the housings 14 of the punch selector magnets 4'are mounted on swivel bearings and are adjusted by screws 15 which havean eccentric pin. The housings 14 are then clamped in the desiredposition by screws 16.

The actual punching operation is performed from cams 9 (FIGS. 1 and 2)on each of which there are eight lobes. Maintained in contact with arespective one of these cams 9 by tension springs 53 are two rollers '8.These rollers 8 are mounted on a rocker 7 which carries an anvil or die6. The tape on which the combinations are to be perforated passes overthe die 6 between the die 6 and a stripper 54, also mounted on therocker7. Dowels 23 are provided to give the correct alignment betweenthe die 6 and a guide block above it (FIG. 2).

The cams 9 are kept rotating at a constant speed which may be of theorder of 3,000 revolutions per minute. The die 6 is therefore raised andlowered by the cams 9 24,000 times per minute. If one or more of thepunches 1 has been moved downward against the action of its leaf spring10, as already described, then the upward movement of the die 6 willbring the tape up against such punch or punches 1 and cause acombination tobe perforated in the tape. If no punches 1 have been moveddownward, the operation will be an idle one. The bits of tape resultingfrom a perforating operation fall into a chute 83.

The cams 9 have their contours shaped so that a motion of uniformacceleration and deceleration is imparted to the die 6 in its continuousmovement.

Referring now to FIG. 5, there is shown a timing diagram for thesequence of operations carried out by the perforator. The continuousmovement of the die 6 is indicated by the curve marked A, showing howthe die 6 is moved continuously up and down by the cams 9. Immediatelyabove this curve are shown three punches 1, those at the times t and tbeing in the normal, upper position of the punch, while that at the timet is in the lower, selected position, so that a punching operation takesplace. This is indicated by the fact that the punch 1 at t is crossed bythe curve and is within the black portion at the crests of the curve,which indicates the time limit of 1 millisecond, out of a cycle timebetween successive punching operations of 2.5 milliseconds, which isallowed for the actual punching. The die 6 is therefore clear of theselected punches for 1.5 milli seconds between every two punchingoperations.

Control of the selection of punches l for a perforating operation iseffected by distributing electric signals, representative of theelements of a particular code combination, to corresponding ones of thepunch selector magnets 4. This distribution is achieved by the use of arotary switch 27 (FIG. 3) shown schematically in FIG. 9. The switchcomprises eight stator contacts SC and a wiper contact WC carried on theshaft on which cams 9 (FIGS. 1 and '2) are mounted. The stator contactsSC are commonly connected to the commoned inputs to one side of thewindings of all the punch selector magnets 4, the other input sides ofwhich punch selector magnets are connected individually to signal inputnumerals a, b, 0 etc. from external equipment. .Another signal inputterminal SI from the external equipment is connected to the wipercontact WC. Since the cams 9 (FIGS. 1 and 2) effect eight perforatoiyoperations for each rotation of the shaft on whichthey are mounted, itis arranged that the wiper contact WC engages with one of statorcontacts SC as soon as the die 6 and stripper 54 (FIGS. 1 and 2) withthe tape therebetween are separated from the selected punches at theconclusion of one punching operation i.e. at the times marked on FIG. 5by the lines X which represent times t +0.5 millisecond, t +0.5millisecond, and t +0.5 millisecond. It will readily be understood thatif, for example, signal inputs are present only on signal inputterminals SIT a, b, and c and on common signal input terminal SI thenonly the punch selector magnets 4 particular to those terminals will beenergised when the wiper contact WC engages with a stator contact SC,and thus only those punches particular to those punch selector magnetswill be selected to perform the next perforating operation. Consideringthe punch 1 indicated at time 2 which was not selected for the onepunching operation, if this punch 1 is required for the next punchingoperation to be performed at time t the flux in the punch selectormagnet 4 controlling it will start to build up at the time t +0.5millisecond, denoted by the left-hand one of the lines X in'FIG. 5, andwill reach its maximum at time t or just before that time. In theorythere is no reason why the flux in the punch selector magnet 4- shouldnot start to build up at time t because, if the punch 1 starts to movedownwards between that time and the time t +0.5 millisecond, it will befollowing the tape which is being moved away from it and will notovertake the tape, so that there is no danger of a perforation beingmade when it is not desired. In practice, however, there is, with thetiming employed, sufficient time for the flux to build up to its mam'mumbetween t +0.5 millisecond, and t The possibility of using the full timebetween t and t for the flux change, however, provides the opportunityof increasing the perforating speed further if the feeding of the tapecan be carried out satisfactorily in a shorter time than that allowedfor it in the timing arrangement being described, i.e. 1.5 milliseconds.

The reverse process of the flux holding a punch 1 in its lower position(as shown at time 2 decaying to nothing for the next punching operation(as at time 1 takes place in a similar manner between times t +0.5 ms,and t;,.

The feed mechanism is of the type described and claimed in my co-pendingapplication, Serial No. 762,828, filed September 23, 1958, now PatentNo. 3,069,057, and in particular that of FIG. 3 of that application inwhich two gripping and feeding mechanisms are employed.

These two gripping and feeding mechanisms 55, 56 in FIG. 1 of thepresent application are used alternately and it is found that the methodby which they are used is the best way of feeding a tape satisfactorilyat the speed required in the reperforator being described.

Referring again to FIG. 5, the timing of the movement of these devicesis shown by the curves denoted B and C respectively. The times at whichthese devices grip and release the tape are indicated by the curves Dand E respectively, the curves B and D being representative of onedevice and the curves C and E of the other.

Considering these curves, it can be seen that both the grippingmechanisms are at rest during each punching operation, i.e. the periodcovered by the black portion at however, the tape is gripped by themechanism (curve E for the punching operation at the time t which is inits backward position (indicated by the lower horizontal position of thecurve C) and is released by the mechanism (curve D) which is in theforward position (curve B). The gripping or clamping operation isindicated by the word CLAMP on FIG. 5.

When the punching operation is completed, the gripping mechanisms aremoved from rest'in opposite directions and are brought to rest againbefore the succeeding punch ing operation commences. The forwardmovement of the gripping mechanism which is at that time holding thetape elfects the feeding of the tape (curve C), and is indicated by theword FEED on FIG. 5. The backward movement (curve B) of the grippingmechanism which is not at that time holding the tape brings thismechanism to a backward position from which to feed the tape after thesucceeding punching operation. The tape is thus fed alternately first byone gripping mechanism and then by the other. i

The fact that the gripping mechanism which is feeding the tape comes torest, and therefore brings the tape to rest, before releasing the tapeensures that the tape will not overshoot the position to which it isbeing fed. A tendency for the tape to overshoot its new position is adisadvantage which has been experienced with tape feeding devicesworking at high speeds.

Referring again to FIG. 1, two gripping mechanisms 55, 56 are shown.Each consists of an upper block which is fixed against vertical movementand a lower one which is movable vertically upward under the influenceof compression springs and downward against the influence of the samecompression springs. The upward and downward movement of the lower blockof the gripping mechanism 56 is controlled by cam 33 through'roller 32,lever 57, shaft 25 and the arm 60. Two compression springs 84 areprovided for each gripping mechanism and these springs are disposed withrespect to each other and the gripping mechanisms as shown in FIG. 3. Asimilar arrangement is provided for controlling the gripping mechanism55; The lower block of each gripping mechanism has a number of teeth onits upper surface so that it will grip the tape against the smooth lowersurface of the upper block when it is moved up to do so by itscontrolling cam.

The movement of the gripping mechanisms 55, 56 about their pivots 80 and81 to feed the tape and to restore are controlled from cams 86, onebeing on the same cam sleeve as the cams 9 for gripping mechanism 55 andthe other on the same cam sleeve as the cam 33 for gripping mechanism56. A compression spring 59 between the arms of the two grippingmechanisms 55, 56 maintains rollers 58 engaging these cams andcontrolling the movements of the gripping mechanisms 55, 56, inaccordance with the curves B and C of FIG. '5.

When the perforator is operative, i.e. it still has power connected toit, but is not actually perforating combinations in the tape, the die 6is still being moved up and down in accordance with the curve A of FIG.5, and the two gripping mechanismsSS and 56 are still moved to and froin accordance with the curves B and C of FIG. 5. However, as noperforations are being made, the tape must not be fed. The movement ofthe tape is prevented by preventing the gripping mechanisms 55, 56 fromengaging the tape, so that their forward movements are idle movements aswell as their backward ones.

This is achieved in each case by a similar arrangement, but only thearrangement controlling the gripping mechanism 56 is shown in FIG. 1.This consists simply of a feed magnet 24, the tip 29 of whose armatureis in a position to engage a corresponding tip 28 on the lever 57 toprevent the full anticlockwise movement of the lever 57 and the shaft 25(as seen in FIG. 1) under the influence of a compression spring 90 whenthe feed magnet 24 is de-energised. In order to allow the feedingoperation to take place when perforation is in progress, feeding pulsesare sent to one or other of the feed magnets 24, whichever is theoperative one at the particular moment to energise it and move itsarmature 29. Alternatively, feeding pulses may be supplied to both feedmagnets 24 with each signal combination.

The paths of the two tips 28 and 29 relative to one another, duringperforating is shown in FIG. 5, the positions for the tips associatedwith one gripping mechanism being shown above curve D and for the othergripping mechanism above curve E.

' Considering the path for the tips 28 and 29 shown above curve D, andassuming that the feeding pulse is supplied to the feed magnets 24alternately and that the first signal combination of a sequence isreceived at time t +0.5 millisecond, then at time t the tips 28 and 29will have been in the position shown directly facing one another. As acombination of punches 1 is energised preparatory to the punchingoperation at time t so the feed magnet 24 becomes energised and itsarmature is moved so that its tip 29 is no longer facing the tip 28 onthe lever 57 by the time the punching operation begins at time t +2milliseconds. Then, during the punching operation around the time t thecam 33 allows the lever 57 to move, this movement not being impeded bythe tip 29 of the armature, as it would have been had the relativepositions of the tips 28 and 29 at time t been preserved, and thegripping mechanism engages the tape. As the gripping of the tape takesplace, the two tips 28 and 29 become overlapped and this overlappedcondition is maintained until the tape is released by the grippingmechanism approximately at time t The duration of the overlapped periodis shown by the arrowed portion. The feed magnet 24 will becomede-energised in the period from time t +0.5 millisecond, to time t butwill not'be able to return to its rest position on account of theoverlapping.

As soon as the overlapping ceases the armature of the feed magnet 24 isfree to move back to the position directly opposite the tip 28. Thiswould occur along the curved line after the overlapped portion, if nofurther combination had arrived to be perforated, the time taken for thearmature to restore being due to its mechanical inertia. During asequence of perforating operations, however, another signal combinationwill have arrived to be perforated at this time, and the accompanyingfeeding pulse will maintain the armature in the overlapped position.

When perforating is taking place and combinations are punchedsuccessively, one gripping mechanism (e.g. 55) will grip the tape as theother (e.g. 56) releases it. There is therefore no question of thefriction of the return movement of one gripping mechanism causing thetape to move back,,because the tape is gripped by the otherone. At

the end of a sequence of perforating operations, however, the tape willnot be gripped during the return movement after the last feedingoperation, nor is the tape gripped by either feeding mechanism during anidle period. A pawl 61 (FIG. 1) is provided to hold the tape at suchtimes.

Lubrication of the rotating mechanism of the perforator is carried outby a gear 34 (FIG. 3) which picks up oil from the base and throws it upagainst top plates 35. From the top plates 35 it splashes into a trough36 and then feeds through two pipes 37 and out of holes 38 in thesepipes onto the various cams.

A modified form of the punched-selecting arrangement described inconjunction with FIGS. 1 to 4 will be described with reference to FIGS.6 to 8. The detail of the arrangement is best seen in FIG. 8. The punch1 is maintained in its upper position by its spring 10 which is notshown in FIG. 8. The top end of the punch 1 has its cammed or slopingportion 87 between two horizontal or level portions at dilferent levels.The interposer 3 has its lower end with a cammed portion and onehorizontal or level portion at the lower end of the cammed portion asshown. When a punched selector magnet 4 is energised, its armature 56pivots a small amount anticlockwise and turns shaft (as seen in FIG. 8)so that the interposer 3 is also moved in this direction, with theresult that the lower end of interposer 3 moves from left to right (asseen in FIG. 8). The extent of this movement is such that the cammedportions on the punch 11. and the interposer 3 interact and the punch .1is moved down against the action of the spring 10, and the horizontal orlevel part of the end 88 of interposer 3 moves past the cammed portion87 of the punch 1 into contact with the upper horizontal or levelportion 89 on the top of the punch 1.

In this condition, the punch 1 is said to be locked through theengagement of the end 88 of the interposer 3 and the horizontal andlevel portion 89 on the top of the punch in its selected position forperforating. During the perforating operation, when the tape is beingforced upwards into contact with the punch 1, the fact that these twolevel portions are in contact at right angles to the direction in whichthe tape is trying to force the punch 1 precludes any possibility of thepunch 1 being moved.

from its' selected lower position. Theoretically there is thepossibility of this happening in the arrangement in the perforator ofFIGS. 1 to 4.

Referring in particular to FIG. 7, there is shown a modified arrangementfor guiding the die 6 in which the die 6 is pivoted on bearings 62 inthe rocker '7. Then guide pins 63 with which the die 6 engages ensureexactly vertical movement of the die 6 as it is reciprocated during theperforating operation by the cams 9 (FIG. 6).

In this form of the perforator, the coil springs 11 for restoring thepunch selector magnet armatures 50 and the levers 3 when the punchselector magnets 4 are de-energised are replaced byleaf springs 64 whichengage with fingers 65 on the shafts 5. Also the tension springs 53maintaining the rollers 8 on the rocker 7 in contact with the cams 9 arereplaced by a compression spring 66.

Fins 67 are provided to assist in cooling theapparatus.

The terms paper and paper tape, as used in the appended claims, are tobe taken to cover not only those specific items but substitutestherefore which are suitable for use as media on which elements ofsignal combinations can be perforated.

' While the principles of the invention have been described above inconnection with specific embodiments, and particular modificationsthereof, it is to be clearly understood that this description is madeonly by way of example and not as a limitation on the scope of theinvention.

What I claim is:

1. Perforating apparatus for perforating the elements of a codecombination in a tape, comprising a die and stripper between which thetape is arranged to pass during successive perforating operations; aplurality of perforating punches each arranged to engage with the die ata corresponding perforating position through the stripper;.

a corresponding plurality of punch selector magnets for selecting acombination of the punches particular to the elements of a codecombination to be perforated; a shaft 8 its axis under the action of thearmature of the associated punch selector magnet on energisation thereofto effect said selection, and to cause the interposer on the shaft toengage and move the corresponding punch to a selected position; camoperated means for moving the said die, stripper and the tapetherebetween toward the selected combination of punches to effectperfonation of the tape, and for moving the die, stripper and tapetherebetween away from the punches after such perforation; and meansoperatively connected to said shaft for energizing particular ones ofthe punch selector magnets, as the tape is being separated from theselection of punches after one perforating operation, to select acombination of the said punches for a particular code combination to beperforated in the tape during the next perforating operation, wherebythe. selection of punches for the elements of a codecombination occurswhilst disengaging the die, stripper and the tape therebetweenfrom thepunches after the perfonating of the elements of a previous combination.

2. Perforating apparatus,,as claimed in claim 1, further comprising alocking portion on said interposer for locking the corresponding punchin its selected position during a perforating operation.

3. Perforating apparatus for perforating the elements of a signalcombination, comprising 'a plurality of punches, electromagnetic meansfor controlling the selection of a combination of the said punches,mechanical means for selecting and moving desired ones of the saidpunches to a selected fixed position under control of the saidelectromagnetic means, tape guiding means including a die and stripper,a punching mechanism including cam-operated means for reciprocallymoving said tape guiding means and the tape carried by said guidingmeans in continuous cycles of movement towardsv and against saidselected fixed punches and to effect perforation of the tape thereby andaway from the said selected punches to disengage the tape therefromafter such perforation, and means for commencing the operation of thesaid mechanical means to move'the punches selected for one punchingoperation to the selected positions while the said tape is being movedaway from the punches after the preceding punching operation.

' 4. Perforating apparatus, as claimed in claim 3, in which the saidelectromagnetic means comprises a plurality of punch selector magnets,and the said mechanical means comprises, for each punch selector magnet,a shaft and an interposer carried on the shaft for. each punch 6selector magnet, said shaft being arranged to pivot about I during theperforating operation.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS761,132 Ball May 31 1904 2,761,513 Stram Sept. 4, 1956 2,956,740McGregor Oct. 18, 1960

3. PERFORATING APPARATUS FOR PERFORATING THE ELEMENTS OF A SIGNALCOMBINATION, COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF PUNCHES, ELECTROMAGNETIC MEANSFOR CONTROLLING THE SELECTION OF A COMBINATION OF THE SAID PUNCHES,MECHANICAL MEANS FOR SELECTING AND MOVING DESIRED ONES OF THE SAIDPUNCHES TO A SELECTED FIXED POSITION UNDER CONTROL OF THE SAIDELECTROMAGNETIC MEANS, TAPE GUIDING MEANS INCLUDING A DIE AND STRIPPER,A PUNCHING MECHANISM INCLUDING CAM-OPERATED MEANS FOR RECIPROCALLYMOVING SAID TAPE GUIDING MEANS AND THE TAPE CARRIED BY SAID GUIDINGMEANS IN CONTINUOUS CYCLES OF MOVEMENT TOWARDS AND AGAINST SAID SELECTEDFIXED PUNCHES AND TO EFFECT PERFORATION OF THE TAPE THEREBY AND AWAYFROM THE SAID SELECTED PUNCHES TO DISENGAGE THE TAPE THEREFROM AFTERSUCH PERFORATION, AND MEANS FOR COMMENCING THE OPERATION OF THE SAIDMECHANICAL MEANS TO MOVE THE PUNCHES SELECTED FOR ONE PUNCHING OPERATIONTO THE SELECTED POSITIONS WHILE THE SAID TAPE IS BEING MOVED AWAY FROMTHE PUNCHES AFTER THE PRECEDING PUNCHING OPERATION.